


Zero Gravity

by 14_KyokoDesu_14



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - After College/University, Assault, Astronaut Iwaizumi Hajime, Explicit Language, Graphic Imagery, Iwaizumi is an Astronaut, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Mental Instability, Musician Oikawa Tooru, Oikawa plays the piano, Some suggestive imagery, Suggestive language, Volleyball Dorks in Love, almost established relationship, almost sexy time, cursing, poor Iwaizumi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-01
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-05-24 05:15:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6142648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/14_KyokoDesu_14/pseuds/14_KyokoDesu_14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Never in Iwaizumi’s life had he imagined just how magnificent his home planet appeared from orbit. Blue seas spanning the massive sphere, dotted with green, fertile land. The black abyss of the universe expanding off in all directions as far as the eye could see. Hovering there, hands pressed against the space station’s walls, the only thing missing was a specific person’s presence next to him. That was the only other thing he never could have imagined.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Reminder

—5 months prior—

A crippling pressure sitting squarely on his chest, the pungent aroma of salon pas, sweat, and blood permeating every pore of his being, and his teammates voices as they thanked the audience for their support after their defeat at the hands of Karasuno. This was a common flashback for Iwaizumi. Even now, years after that last match, the memory of everything he could have improved or changed that may have effected the outcome haunted his dreams. They could have won. Seijoh could have moved on to finally beat Shiratorizawa and gone to nationals. 

He could have continued playing on the same court as Oikawa. 

Peeling his eyelids apart, the cold, white ceiling of his apartment greeted his blurry eyes. Small streaks of sunlight that had finagled their way through the curtains danced in front of him. Lips parting and breath quickening, the vivid memories faded from the forefront of his mind.

That was no longer his reality. 

Sitting up, sheets rustling softly at the disturbance, fingers rubbed gingerly at the corners of his eyes. Sleep flaking off onto his shirt and cheeks. A small pain prickled at the sudden stimulation. 

Today was the day.

Breath halting as he remembered, he flipped himself over quickly and checked the time on his phone. 6:39. It matched his alarm clock perfectly. Even the seconds were synchronized. He’d woken up one minute before his alarm was set to go off. Quickly flipping the annoying machine to ‘off’, he stood up. Rolling his shoulders, the joints popped loudly as they fell into the proper positions. Wriggling his toes in the plush carpet he moved to the bathroom before splashing water across his skin and slathering a snake of toothpaste on the bristles of his toothbrush. Quickly and half heartedly, he ran a hand casually through his hair, which currently stood on end protruding in all directions. Wetting his fingers, he managed to smooth out some of the static before dismissing his mirror image with a flick of his wrist.

Walking to the kitchen as he continued to brush, the stove flickered to life and he slid a nonstick pan onto the small blue flame. Sliding his sole carton of eggs to the edge of the fridge shelf, he withdrew three eggs and promptly cracked them and threw them in the pan to begin cooking. Pausing to spit and rinse, he replaced his toothbrush with a knife and a handful of vegetables. Quickly chopping the ingredients, yawning in the process, he flipped the omelet a few times before sliding it onto a ceramic plate. The small blue flowers around the edge giving the plate a bit of extra life.

Setting the used essentials in the sink, he grabbed a glass of water and proceeded to the porch. Sliding the blinds to the side noisily along with the glass door. The expected squeak disrupting his morning silence as he emerged from his dark den. 

The sun had just risen and the ground was kissed with that soft morning glow that gave him goosebumps. Dew still clinging to the blades of grass that composed his apartment’s front lawn gave the green a slight sparkle. No cars disrupted the view just yet, although he could make out a few starting up a few blocks North. Far into the distance, the soft glimmer of the ocean caught his attention. He knew from experience that just over there, not even a thirty minute walk from his current placement, lay a white sand beach. Waves just barely beginning to form would be gently caressing the small pebbles and dirt, washing away the top layer before replacing it with a new layer of salt. Recalling the sensation on his toes, he made a mental note to visit soon. He could do with a casual walk along the beach, enjoying the sunset.

Seating himself in the chair next to the banister, he set his glass on the railing and began consuming his breakfast. Pausing as his phone buzzed in his waistband, he exchanged the plate for the small metal device. A familiar face graced the screen sending shivers through Iwaizumi’s frame as he swiped right. 

“Good morning Iwa-chan!” A crisp voice echoed off tiled walls in the usual sing-song manner. _Where was he? A bathroom maybe?_

“Hello Oikawa.” Balancing the phone on his shoulder, he resumed eating. Unfazed by the call.

“I hope you slept well! Today’s the big day isn’t it? Your first test before you’re shot out of the atmosphere!” Mumbling a response around his omelet, the brunette chuckled on the other end while a red hue spread across the male’s face.

“I suppose so.” he choked out after swallowing hurriedly. “Either way, I’ll be late if you keep me too long. What do you want?” The smile in the other male’s voice was clearly audible as he responded.

“I wanted to wish you good luck! I’ve only heard horror stories about what happens to failed astronauts. I want details the moment you’re finished.”

Downing the last bite of egg, he reached for his glass. Pausing as he noticed the reflection of the sea in the liquid. Distorted beyond beauty, reaching some new level of allure. Tearing his mind away from the detail, he quickly downed the drink before responding. 

“Of course. When do you expect anything less?” Laughing the pair exchanged last departing comments before hanging up. Holding his position, Iwaizumi’s gaze drifted outwards. He knew exactly what Oikawa would be doing at that moment. After making sure to set an alarm for a reminder, he would have woken up early, ate, dressed, and would already be beginning his daily composition before he called. Pencil flicking gingerly between nimble fingers, sheets of bass and treble clefs spread out before him and a range of black and white keys beneath those. Until he heard from Iwaizumi, he would be composing. Creating, redoing, erasing, and rewriting a piece that could only be described as incredible.

The image rooted Iwaizumi to his seat. He wanted to be there, perched on the plush black bench next to Oikawa as he worked. Brown curls bouncing as his head bobbed to the music, eyes closed then cracked open. Left foot softly beating out a tempo while the right experimented with the various pedals concealed beneath perfectly glistening black maple wood. And after a good ten minutes of one to ten notes spilling from the male’s finger tips at a time, the sheets of music would be piled onto one another, set before them, and Oikawa’s fingers would dance across the keys. Lightly pressing each one to achieve the delicate effect he was known for. Pausing, the brunette would glance at Iwaizumi, who would have been staring the entire time. Their eyes would lock and an embarrassed but sincere smile would grace his lips.

The pair had gone in completely separate directions since high school, Oikawa choosing to pursue music and Iwaizumi choosing to look into Astroscience. Naturally, they’d ended up at different Universities, and rarely had time to see one another. They’d been in constant contact throughout those years however. As the months had progressed, Iwaizumi found himself looking forward to Oikawa’s calls more often. He found joy in simply listening to his voice or the sound of his music. His pulse quickened whenever a package from the male arrived or when they arranged a meet up. Luckily, he managed to act normal when they were together, but alone the male was constantly on his mind. Always accompanied by a red flush.

Standing, he ignored the nagging thought at the back of his mind. 

_There was no way, right?_

Locking the door behind him, he redrew the blinds, plunging the room back into darkness.

_There was absolutely not a shred of possibility that he had…feelings for Oikawa, right?_

Quickly rinsing his dishes, he slid them into the dishwasher. Adding ‘Dishes’ to his to-do list that permanently hung from the fridge door.

_Oikawa was his childhood friend! His closest friend throughout High School and College. Why now? Now that they were separated by hundreds of miles. Why did his chest tighten every time he thought of him?_

Slipping from his sleeping garments, he donned dark jeans, a button-up shirt, freshly shined shoes and a spritz of cologne, just strong enough to mask sweat or be noticed only when within a foot.

Stretching one more time, he grabbed his keys, the paperwork he had filled out last night, a jacket, and headed out. The heavy metal door swinging closed behind him. Iwaizumi’s form already turning the corner to the elevator by the time he heard the click of the lock.


	2. An Error on Both Parts

Sighing heavily, fingers combed through his black locks for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. They were screwed up beyond hope: dried sweat and static flattening certain parts while others protruded from his skull at near ninety degree angles. After retrieving his jacket, keys, phone, and donning his clothes from his assigned metal locker, he forcefully closed the locker, enjoying the jarring noise it made as it latched shut. Beginning to maneuver out of the building while settling himself, he nodded in farewell to whichever unfortunate employees he came across as he exited. The blue and grey palettes giving way to greens and blacks as he stepped outside for the first time all day.

Rubbing his aching neck, he pulled his phone from his pocket. Knowing full well that Oikawa would be waiting with baited breath on the other line for fresh news. Continuing to walk and dialing the memorized number simultaneously, his brain produced nothing but static and his stomach roiled. A sharp click and thud on the other end muffled a quick curse before the almost on edge voice answered.

“Iwa-chan! I was beginning to worry!!” Groaning, his gaze sharpened. Accidentally falling on a middle schooler, who rightfully, flinched away.

“Yeah, sorry. I just left.” His tone came out harsher than he had intended. Leaving off the details as to what he had just experienced, he left Oikawa hanging, which he knew wouldn’t last for very long.

“I can hear it in your voice Iwa-chan. What happened? Did you puke?” Iwaizumi’s brow furrowed in response as he bit back a sharp _no_.

“Then what happened? I guess they put you in that spinny thing. What was it like?”

“I don’t really want to talk about it.” Pausing, he knew Oikawa wouldn’t take that for an answer. 

“But you know you’re going to anyway. You know you want to rant. Go ahead Iwa-chan, rant to Oikawa-san.” Tsking at his use of third person, Iwaizumi sighed. 

“It felt like shit. I was pretty sure some part of my anatomy was going to fly off thanks to the speed they had it going at.” A small chuckle on the other end sent anger flooding through his veins. “What? What’s so funny?”

“Oh nothing. I was just picturing, like a hand, flying across the room and hitting one of them in the face.”

“They were behind a glass wall bakakawa.”

“Well then it would hit the glass! Startling the shit out of them before sliding off onto the floor. Can’t you picture it Iwa-chan?” Pausing before responding, he actually could. The looks on all of their faces, the sound the slab of skin would make as it hit the glass, it was actually quite comedic and he couldn’t help but let his shoulders shake slightly with a small laugh.

“See! There you go! Now all that’s missing is the casual insult and you’ll be back to yourself.”

“Shut up.” Oikawa erupted in laughter at his success. His voice sounding like slightly distorted bells through the receiver. Iwaizumi who had already been smiling now beamed. Small snaps of pleasure clicking in his head. In the background, he could just make out the small taps of fingernails of the keys of a piano. He had most likely been practicing all day waiting for this call. 

“Is that all that happened?” The brunette prompted at his silence.

“Of course not. But I’m really not supposed to talk about it. It’s not public knowledge nor is it supposed to be.”

“I promise I won’t tell anyone!”

“That’s not the issue. I had to sign paperwork that _swore_ me to secrecy. So I really can’t.” The voice on the line sighed heavily and shifted on the piano bench.

“All right, fine! I won’t pry anymore.” Iwaizumi didn’t respond. His shoes thumped silently across the street, passing beneath the street light as several cars idled waiting for their turn. To his right, the ocean glittered temptingly. Voices wafting up to his ears of children running across lawns playing after school. 

“You almost home?” Oikawa’s voice called him back to their conversation.

“Yeah, but I might head out for a bit. Grab a drink or two and see if my stomach’s strong enough to hold it.”

“But don’t you have more tests tomorrow?” The alarm in his voice startled Iwaizumi.

“Yeah, but intoxication may actually help me get through them.” The receiver crackled violently in his ear. Oikawa was shaking his head, forgetting he couldn’t see him.

“Absolutely not Iwa-chan. I forbid it.”

“Ha! Who are you, my mother?” Pausing, a sense of deja vu washing over him. _Oikawa had asked the same thing while they were in High School_.

“Last time I checked I wasn’t! But if I need to be in order to prevent you from royally screwing this up, I will! I can be there in an hour to restrain you from self harm.”

“Fine. Just shut up and I’ll behave.” 

“Good. Now go home and rest. Whatever they end up doing to you tomorrow will be just as hard so you need your energy.”

“Fine.”

“Call me again tomorrow okay?” Iwaizumi huffed at this, giving into his sass.

“Jee, I don’t know about that Oikawa. We’ll see.” Oikawa already knew this trick though, and didn’t take the bait.

“Good! Talk to you later Iwa-chan!” Within a second, the light click of their connection breaking ended the call. Lowering the phone, Iwaizumi’s steps faltered as he slid it back into his pocket. He was nearly home at that point. Yet, he felt strangely upset by the call. They were their usual bickering selves, but the atmosphere that now followed the male was tense. He felt a light tension around his chest. Except this was different from normal. 

It felt bad.

_____________________________________________

The next day proceeded similarly. After a light breakfast, Iwaizumi made his way to the Space Center. No call from Oikawa interrupted his morning ritual this time and the sun wasn’t as vibrant as the previous day. His shoes were practically soaked by the time he reached his destination from undried dew on the grass. That day turned out to be slightly easier than the previous. He also received news that he had passed both tests and would now move onto actual training. However, he had to leave in order to proceed. The equipment needed was too large and expensive to be kept in such a secluded part of town. He would have to move several hours farther North for approximately a week to complete training. They assured him that he would have housing and food provided, free of payment. 

_Awesome_.

Stepping from the building during mid afternoon, Iwaizumi was in slightly higher spirits than he had been yesterday and pulled out his phone to call his friend. As soon as the screen emerged from his pocket, it lit up. Oikawa’s face filling the screen again.

“Hello? Oika…”

“Iwa-chan! Help me! Oh my god I’m freaking out over here!” Jumping at the near screaming voice riddled with anxiety, he barely managed to keep from dropping the device.

“Wait a minute Oikawa, what’s wrong?”

“The concert I was supposed to play in was rescheduled! It was supposed to be in a few days but now it’s tomorrow! Iwa-chaaaaaan I’m nowhere near ready! I haven’t memorized the music yet! The notes aren’t quite right! Oh, what am I going to do?” A small sob escaped his lips and Iwaizumi’s chest tightened.

“Oikawa, calm down. No one will notice any mistakes you make. It’s your own piece. You can always say you’re experimenting with different styles…”

“No I can’t!” A deep and intense hud echoed around Oikawa’s room. He had probably slammed his fist on something. “Everyone knows my style! Why would I suddenly change when I’m so close to being perfect?”

“Okay, firstly, no one’s perfect. You will never be perfect Oikawa so aiming for the impossible will only result in your misery. Knock it off.” That silenced the hysterics. “Secondly, there has to be some way for you to withdraw. Just don’t perform and wait until you’re ready.”

“I can’t Iwa-chan!” Full blown sobs were now pounding against his ear drum. “I’ve been on the roster for months! It’s sold out because of me!” Laughing, he couldn’t contain his disbelief.

“Just how self absorbed can you get? It’s not sold out only because of you. Sure, a large majority of people will be looking forward to your performance, but they didn’t spend their hard earned money on a ticket just to see you.”

“So if you realize that at least some people are excited about my performance, why are you suggesting that it’s possible for me to back out? I can’t let them down.” He hesitated. “But, if I go, I’ll be letting them down in a different way.”

“Oikawa.” Only his name made it past Iwaizumi’s lips. What could he say? He knew just how amazing Oikawa was and would be if he performed. In no way would the audience be disappointed. A sniffle signaled that the male was still listening.

“Play your piece for me.” Another stretch of silence followed before a reluctant _okay_ acknowledged his demand. Oikawa’s sniffling faded as he set the phone down on the piano. Propping it up next to the sheets of music. 

“You’re on speaker so I can hear you.” His voice echoed as the tone of the signal changed. Oikawa’s voice shook slightly, but was gradually getting better. Calming down and automatically prepping to go into performance mode. 

_Damn, I wish I was on FaceTime_.

“Wipe you’re face first. Blow your nose so you can breath and calm down before you start.” Iwaizumi barked out instructions, hoping the male could hear him.

“Okay…” Oikawa mumbled as he stood from the bench and walked away. Iwaizumi was left in silence as he waited. Soon however, he returned. The soft padding of bare feet on carpet signaling his readiness. 

No words came before the start. Gentle notes whispered through the phones. Cranking up the volume on his end, Iwaizumi halted his pace. Allowing his gaze to drift towards the ocean. This was Oikawa’s music: soothing, gentle, loving, the crescendos and decrescendos caressed the listener. Imagery truly demonstrating itself to the audience. Iwaizumi’s pulse slowed, his body relaxing entirely as images of his past drifted across his mind. This happened every time he listened to Oikawa’s music. He lost himself in the music. Always ending in disbelief that he was even capable of making those sounds.

This continued for a good five minutes before ending. _A short piece this time_. 

“How was it?” Oikawa’s voice returned. Close again, the odd echo of speaker phone gone. Iwaizumi sighed.

“What do you expect me to say? It was gorgeous Oikawa. As a novice to music, it was absolutely wonderful. Just as good as your other pieces. I really don’t understand what you’re so worried about.”

“But Iwa-chan.” His voice was weak. “I can tell it’s not my best. And other members of the music community will be able to tell. I know the inexperienced members of the audience will enjoy it and I’m truly glad for that, but I also want to impress those who can tell the difference.”

“Why don’t you just, shorten it then?” Iwaizumi was hesitant to suggest shortening an already short piece, but if Oikawa was really that upset, he could focus on perfecting a small portion of it and just play that. It would serve as a teaser to what would be coming in the future. 

“Maybe. I get your logic with that idea, but I still don’t want to.” Pausing again, Iwaizumi resumed his trek home. The sky was growing darker by the minute. Bulging, black clouds collecting overhead. The last thing Iwaizumi wanted was to be caught in the oncoming downpour. 

“I’m gonna go Iwa-chan.” All too suddenly his voice came back. 

“Going to practice more?”

“Yeah. I think I’m gonna take you up on your advice. I’ll cut it down about a minute. There’s a perfect place to stop around there. If I can just work at that section tonight, it should be fine tomorrow.”

“Sounds good. Just don’t stay up too late, you hear? You’ll get bags under your eyes.” Oikawa laughed.

“That’s what cover up is for Iwa-chan.” With that the connection clicked off. Ducking inside quickly. Iwaizumi hurried up to his apartment. The deluge just beginning to break overhead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, this feels slightly off. I'm really not used to writing this middle character development stuff so it feels weird to actually attempt to crank it out.  
> Nevertheless, I'm sure you can all tell that the next chapter's going to be pretty juicy. (╯✧∇✧)╯  
> I'm pretty excited to write it and really start escalating their romance. 
> 
> I've got a lot more planned for this story so stay tuned! The next chapter should be coming out within a couple of days. 
> 
> Have a lovely weekend everyone!


	3. That Which Can't be Said, Nor Remain Silent

That night, the skies seemed to open up in protest. Months worth of water pouring onto the helpless country. Iwaizumi was told not to come into the Space Center until the storm subsided since he had to walk the distance, while the people who owned cars were warned but were still expected to come in. Even before that, the storm raged. Lightning strikes splitting the skies, even occasionally touching the ground. Iwaizumi’s apartment lost power around eleven that night. His phone showing the symptoms of laying uncharged through the night that next morning. Shortly after, all cell phones lost signal. 

“It’s probably the service tower a few miles from here.” Iwaizumi suggested as he passed the time with one of his neighbors. “And the storm’s too intense for anyone to go out there and fix it.” Around ten in the morning, the apartment’s backup generator managed to kick on a few lights. However the phones were still out. 

That day passed slowly for Iwaizumi. he spent the majority of it chatting and playing card games with his neighbors. Through it all, Oikawa persisted as a strong presence in his mind. 

_Did he still have the concert today? Was he all right? Was he going to be all right? Would anyone even show up in this weather? And how am I going to get in contact with him?_

“Iwaizumi-san, will you stop checking your phone? All the lines are down so you’re not going to get any messages form your boyfriend!” His neighbors joked with him as they laughed. Shooting the speaker a glare as he locked his phone for the fiftieth time that day, he returned his attention to the game. He was checking for service. He knew the brunette was panicking. Hopefully in the visual way and not in his terrifyingly calm manner. When something major went wrong, Oikawa tended to withdraw himself. Receding into an almost destructive calm. He would be on edge, a chipped blade sliding across skin, threatening to cut, but not quite breaking the surface. 

“He’s not my boyfriend.” He responded curtly. 

“Riiiiiight. And we’re supposed to believe that after how many times you’ve met up with him or had him over.” The group chuckled before ditching the subject of Iwaizumi and Oikawa’s nonexistent relationship entirely. But while they moved on giddy with excitement as the lights flickered occasionally, Iwaizumi was still caught up in his own sentence. 

_Oikawa was not his boyfriend._

And while it almost seemed like they were at times, there was no telling if Oikawa even felt remotely similar to him. It had taken him years to admit and accept his true feelings for the male after which he had to learn how to deal with them. 

But then again, they had a point. While his neighbors may not know entirely just how deep the pit they were prying into went, what they said did have some truth to it. Oikawa and he behaved like a couple. Except they were missing the physicality and intimacy. They were constantly in contact, they went out to dinner whenever they met up and sometimes even a movie. Weren’t those supposed to be classic date moves? They had petty arguments and got into plenty of small fights, but always made up within a day or so. Wasn’t that another characteristic of a couple? 

He continued like this for the remainder of the day. Growing even more anxious as day turned to night, and then early morning. Whatever had happened with Oikawa, would now be over. Whether the male was now distraught or pleased would have to wait for the reestablishment of power and service. 

_______________________________________________

After a restless night of worrying, Iwaizumi woke to a dead phone, but electricity indeed, restored.

Plugging his phone in to charge, he paced anxiously until it had just enough battery to turn back on. Eyes darting frantically as the intro colors swirled violently, they quickly sought out and found the signal report at the top of the screen. 

_No Signal_

Cursing violently, he slammed his phone back onto the table and stalked away. 

“All I need is to talk to the idiot. If I can’t get ahold of him today he’s going to give me hell about it tomorrow.” His voice came out hushed and hurried. Words slurring together as he wasn't really talking to anyone save an empty frying pan which he had placed on the stove. Quickly throwing together a meager breakfast, he instinctively headed towards the glass doors. Opening the curtains only to find the deluge persisting. 

The lawn was completely flooded, cars bobbed precariously on the street and abandoned toys and bikes floated down the gutters. Redrawing the blinds, he seated himself on the couch. Grateful that the power was back, he flipped on the television. Quickly locating the professional volleyball league channel. He wouldn’t be able to go in to work today either, so he deemed the day a ‘pajama day’ and allowed himself to sprawl across the couch for the remainder of the storm. 

After an hour or so, he remembered his phone and Oikawa. Springing from the couch in a rush, he swiped the phone off his bedside table. Still no service. What did he expect? It most likely wouldn’t be restored until after the storm ended. 

Returning to his thread bare throne, he re-situated himself before the flickering screen. 

For the remainder of the day, matches flickered before his eyes. He had tuned into the first round of preliminaries for that year’s summer tournament, so every team on the screen was at least, decent. Occasionally, he’d jump up and scream some foul mouthed obscenity, or shout at their defense. Despite having moved on from volleyball, he still enjoyed it immensely and with every play, he was reminded of his old team.

They were sweet memories: pain and suffering, but also of improvement and an unbreakable friendship. By this point, every member he had come to know on the Seijoh Volleyball team would have graduated and gone to Uni. The thought scared him; if he were to return for old times sake, he would be met with unfamiliar faces. Confused looks, maybe a few who knew him from their childhood, but none would actually know him. No one would scream at him as he walked through those metal doors, no one would set a perfect spike for him, no one would welcome him back with joy in their eyes. Even the coach would have moved on. 

Slightly depressed from this recent turn of thought, he turned the machine’s dancing photons to _off_ and let his arm drape across his eyes. The remote slipping from his fingers as the night outside progressed and his consciousness faded. The storm finally slowing to a gentle drizzle.

_______________________________________________

The male woke the next morning with a crippling neck ache. Groaning and cursing himself for actually sleeping on the sad excuse for a couch, he located his phone on the floor and checked the time.

10:47 AM on a Saturday morning.

Eyes blurring slightly they drifted up to the signal report again. 

Shooting up wide eyed, he stumbled to the glass doors, ripping them and the blinds to the side.

Outside was sunny, the remnants of clouds hanging peacefully in the sky. Already, there were people outside helping to cart water off the streets and down to the beach. The toys that had been claimed by the storm had been confiscated and were being taken to the local donation center.

Glancing back down at his phone, his eyes had indeed been telling the truth. He had signal! Two measly bars, but they’d do! _God it’s about freaking time!_

Quickly bringing up Oikawa’s number, he dialed without hesitation. The line took a moment to connect before the rings actually commenced. 

_First Ring._

Obviously he wouldn’t be right by his phone. Knowing the brunette, he’d either be at the piano or on his bed. Depending on his mood.

_Second Ring._

His fist clenched. _Come on Tooru, don’t you leave me hanging._

_Third Ring._

_Shit._ Where was he? He wasn’t mad at Iwaizumi, was he? It wasn’t his fault that he couldn’t call. Oikawa would have known that if he checked the weather report. But then again, if he was really so distraught that he couldn’t even check the weather or try to call Iwaizumi, then what the hell actually happened to him?

_Fourth Ring._

Iwaizumi’s stomach churned, threatening to expel whatever it had left in it from the previous night. His eyes drifted shut, a hand finding its way to his forehead to rub his temples. His subconscious practically begging Oikawa to answer.

Just before the next ring, which would then lead to voice mail, a familiar click made him jump. Hand snapping into his lap, eyes flying open. A subdued, drowsy, but familiar voice answered.

“Hello?”

“Oikawa!” The male’s name exploding off his tongue uncontrollably. He flinched at the audible distress dripping from the word.

“Hmmm?” Oikawa groaned, confused. “Iwa-chan?”

“Idiot, of course it’s me. Why are you so confused about that?” He could almost see the shrug Oikawa would be giving him in response.

“I don’t know…maybe because I’m sleepy? Because I just woke up? Who knows.” His response was passive. He didn’t sound upset at all.

“Look, I’m sorry I didn’t call yesterday. I couldn’t. There was this huge storm and the power was down along with the phone lines and…”

“I know.” A short and sudden reply cut him off mid sentence. 

“You do?”

“Of course Iwa-chan. I’m not such a wreck that I can’t check my phone’s weather report for a second.” Pausing, the snarky retort receding from launch point, Iwaizumi’s brows furrowed. Something was wrong. His words weren’t as crisp as they normally were. They slurred together and seemed to stick to his tongue as he talked. _Had he been drinking?_

“Oikawa, you know why I called. What happened? Did you perform? How’d it go?” His rushed inquiries were met with silence. Slight breaths crackled against the receiver. He could almost smell the alcohol on his breath.

“Yes.”

“Yes? Like yes you did perform? Well, how was it?” Another pause. Slightly shorter than the last one, but equally as suspenseful.

“Exactly as I thought it would be. A complete train wreck.” The tone of his voice shifted sharply. The sluggishness persisted, but his words were louder, more pronounced. They practically dripped with emotion: anger, disappointment, sorrow. Iwaizumi flinched uncomfortably, automatically wishing he could help in some way. _Just how bad was he?_ Sighing, he urged him on.

“Well, don’t stop there. What happened?”

“I fucked up Iwa-chan!” His voice broke painfully. Practically screaming at him over the distance. Inhaling, his breaths shook and he frantically sniffed to avoid needing a tissue. “The dynamics were all over the place, I lost control of the tempo, I even forgot the music for a moment and had to improvise. Even the general members looked shocked after I finished.” Another shaky breath occupied the silence as Iwaizumi prepared his response. His usual cocky remarks would only worsen the situation.

“…I’m sorry that happened…” He trailed off. His lips forming the male’s first name. The almost too personal syllables nearly sliding through his resistance. On the other end, the male simply sniffed, waiting for additional comfort. “But it’s not the end right? The world hasn’t come crashing down around you, you’re reputation’s not ruined. You just had a bad day. Everyone does.”

“I guess not. But that doesn’t make it any easier.”

“Of course it doesn’t.” He tried to be as gentle as possible. His voice was so weak it almost sounded broken or breaking. Iwaizumi couldn’t push, or he was afraid the male would shatter. “If simply approaching the situation logically made things any easier, we’d all succeed. No one would give up on their dreams or drop out of school. The world would be a much easier place. But for those of us, and by that I mean specifically you, who can actually look at things logically, we can move on. Accept what has happened, recover, and work to remedy our mistakes. Both you, and your career can and will recover from this.”

There was no response from Oikawa. The line remained silent. Small popping noises confirming that the connection still held. For a minute, nothing. No soft breaths that whispered an undeclared connection between the pair brushed the receiver. No sounds of movement, or gentle, soft sheets falling from their delicate position against his shoulders, or of light, quiet footsteps traversing the small apartment. Yet, never for a second did Iwaizumi consider if Oikawa had left. He was there, he knew it. Sitting silently, phone pressed lightly against his ear. Body encased in a soft, white night shirt that still held wrinkles from the previous night. As he adjusted to these sounds of nothingness, a small thud echoed through wood: the piano. He had been placed in his usual spot amidst the deep maple of Oikawa’s wordless voice. _Of course._ This was the only way Oikawa could express himself when all words lost their meaning. Smiling lightly, Iwaizumi leaned gingerly against the plaster walls of his apartment as nearly inaudible notes washed over him.

They were indescribable. Seeping with sadness and longing, gently flowing into one another, much like his words from earlier. Undeniable sorrow echoing through every touch of a key. Occasional recognizable arpeggios and runs balanced the slow ballad. Slowly, it sped up, as sorrow was covered and protected by anger. The range shifted to the lower octaves. The higher, light notes diminishing for a second before reappearing as hope returned. The heaviness lessened and slowed again, a light whine disrupting the unhindered confession. His fingers grew heavy against the keys and a different atmosphere permeated the notes. Quarter notes turning to half and whole notes as his feelings of defeat drowned out the very essence of happiness. This persisted for a minute. Simple slow sustained notes vibrating the molecules within Iwaizumi’s body. Slowly then, an undeniable liveliness crept into the room. His spirits lifted, the dancing quality returning to his sound as he remembered the joys he had experienced in music. Fading away, in the last few dips of emotion, he could still make out a clinging sadness. 

He wasn’t ready to move on yet. He still needed time. 

As the music died away, ragged breaths shook the air and the light plop of a tear hitting the keys strangled Iwaizumi’s lungs. There was nothing left to say as Oikawa replaced the phone next to his ear. They sat there in silence for a few moments before Iwaizumi managed to croak out a few words.

“As usual, beautiful. Is that a piece you wrote? Or improv?”

“The latter.” He whispered in response. Nodding as acknowledgment, they fell into a momentary silence again.

“Oh, I haven’t told you yet have I? I’m being sent to another institution to complete my training. I leave in a few days and won’t be back for a week.” Oikawa hummed lightly in response.

“Where will you be?”

“Not sure. All they’ve given me so far is that it’s several hours to the North of here.” Met with a light hum again, he hesitated before asking what he had suspected since beginning the conversation. A light breath pushing past his lips as he began speaking before changing his mind and putting the conversation away for another time. 

_Not after that. He basically just poured out every ounce of emotion he had. There is no way I’m going to be the thing that upsets him more._

Listening intently, Oikawa’s breaths were lightening as the waves of emotions left his body behind. 

“Are you really okay?” Was all he managed to say, afraid of taking too heavy a step with the delicate situation.

“Mhm, Iwa-chan, you shouldn’t worry so much!” A light chime returning to his voice. The sluggishness fading ever so slightly, but an equal amount of audible strain weaved through the remnants. 

“No, I’m serious Oikawa. I can be at your place in less than an hour if you need the company.” His other hand came up to cup the receiver, as if it was Oikawa himself.

“No Iwa-chan. You stay there and worry about yourself. Pack, rest, and get back in touch with me once you’re at that new place for training. I’ll be fine. Really.” Iwaizumi sighed. Of course he’d be fine. He needed time to get himself over this. But he didn’t have to do it alone. Of course, they were both too stubborn to let the other have their way without a fuss. This time however, Iwaizumi decided to just leave it. 

“All right. Same for you. Don’t go drinking too much or getting all depressed. I expect you to be your normal self in a few days time, or you’ll have to deal with me _actually_ coming over.” The pair chuckled lightly at the not-so-terrible threat.

“All right Iwa-chan. Thanks for checking up on me.” 

“Sure.”

He could tell the male was making an effort to not sound so depressed with his final words. His voice riddled with tension, yet still managing to make it into that higher octave of his. 

Clicking the phone to off. He slid to the floor.

“Well, that was exhausting.” He whispered to himself. He had not been prepared for just how much Oikawa’s music had effected him. The saying really was true, words were just no match for the power of simple notes. One touch of a key held so much power for the nearly otherwise incompetent brunette that it nearly always left Iwaizumi speechless. This time in particular, he felt drained. Imagining that if he was the one creating those sounds, he would likely be balling his eyes out right now.

Banishing the image of Oikawa doing just so, bent painfully over the piano, fingers still brushing the keys, Iwaizumi scraped himself from the floor and began checking his email. There were several from work, giving him the address and weather report of where he was going: what he would need, what he should expect, and who he should look for. 

With nothing else to do that day, he set his laptop to begin playing some strange, energetic music and started packing. His train ticket attached to an email indicated his departure for the next day. 

_Better be ready._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, I made myself cry multiple times with this chapter...mainly because of the music I was listening to while writing it. The piano is just so gorgeous....(ˊ̥̥̥̥̥ ³ ˋ̥̥̥̥̥)
> 
> This chapter also has a couple personal qualities of mine in it: like that mention of a pajama day? I did that all the time as a kid. Still do! And the thought of everyone leaving Iwaizumi behind, that's something I think about a lot myself. 
> 
> So either way, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter! It's super personal and filled with lots of gross emotions. The next chapter will definitely be more light hearted and fun, so don't start thinking this is just going to be one big mess of tear jerkers! 《《o(≧◇≦)o》》


	4. Separation

Swaying gently, the train sped along. Lush forests with spots of blue peeking through occasionally flashed through the windows. Suitcase lying in front of him, his feet propped against the metal monster, Iwaizumi lazed against the modest seats. The padding just enough to maintain comfort but not to truly relax. His arms draped across the backs of the seats on either side of him, fingers patting the metal rims in time with the music playing through his headphones. Only one other person occupied the train with him; a young woman with bleached white hair and vibrant blue eyes. His gaze repeatedly drifted back to her. He remembered reading an article on this shade of hair. It was supposed to be the new trend popping up throughout the anime community, but he just didn’t get it. Why would anyone bleach their hair to a platinum blonde before dying it for hours on end with ash just to appear abnormal? Not to mention it clearly identified her as an anime fan. Not that that was bad or anything, Iwaizumi had just never understood why anyone would want to openly display themselves a member of a certain community.

A sharp ding pierced the intense bass of his music signaling an announcement and Iwaizumi sluggishly pulled out one bud.

_Next stop Shin-Ochanomizu. Repeat, next stop Shin-Ochanomizu._

Replacing the earbud, he fished the small contraption from his pocket and skipped the current song. He needed something fast, intense, or he’d risk falling asleep and missing his stop.

Iwaizumi had never been much of a morning person. Waking up anytime before nine always turned into an ordeal and to catch this train, he’d had to pry himself out of bed well before seven. Rolling his shoulders, the joints popped painfully before falling into place. 

Replacing his head against the metal support on the window behind him, his eyes tracked a progression of small country houses that faced the tracks. Small children and dogs ran across some of their lawns, often shouting over to another house before running the opposite direction laughing hysterically. Laundry billowed on lines, small drops of water flung by the breeze glinted in the sunlight before disappearing in a flash. Behind the neighborhood, the ocean receded. Moving farther and farther away until it was nothing more than a small sparkle in the distance. Hopefully there’d be something else to distract Iwaizumi wherever it was that he was going.

Slowing, the train pulled into the previously announced station. The girl opposite him stood before pulling on her jacket’s hood which sported a pair of yellow pointed ears with black tips and left happily. _Maybe she was going to a con?_ Several other people boarded, all looking around confused and worried, an open map clutched in their hands. 

“Do you think this is right?”

“I think so, but I’m not really sure.” One of them caught sight of Iwaizumi eyeing them questioningly and approached him.

“Um, excuse me? Does this train stop at Myogadani?” Pulling an earbud out, he sat up.

“No. This is the Chiyoda Line, you want the Marunouchi Line. The station’s a few blocks over.” her teeth flashed in a grimace before she and her friends whirled towards the closing doors. 

“Shit!” They cursed as the doors locked and the train sped out of the station. 

“What are we gonna do? We’re going to miss it!”

“I know I know! I’ll go talk to the driver.” Hustling towards the front of the train, the remainder of the group whispered anxiously before taking a section of seats as far away from Iwaizumi as they could get. Scoffing at the obvious group of tourists, he replaced his earbud and resumed his position. Letting his eyes drift shut simply to avoid making eye contact with the new passengers. The train continued swaying. Speeding along its intended path without knowledge or care of its passenger’s predicament. The train not only passed their destination, but it went approximately an hour past that. At least until Iwaizumi’s stop. 

He passed that hour the same way he had with the previous two. Relief washing over his fatigued muscles as he felt the train lurch and begin its entrance into his station. Standing and stretching, he righted his suitcase before throwing the shoulder strap on and exiting the now opening doors. In the past hour, the sea had disappeared completely and he was now standing in the middle of a small town. Neighborhoods poking out through a dense wall of trees on either side of the tracks. Behind him, the group emerged, clearly disgruntled about their detour and proceeded to the schedule board. 

Silently wishing them luck with the horrendous amount of Kanji they’d be facing, he descended a flight of stairs to the main street. Withdrawing the sheet of paper with his directions scribbled across it, he jogged across the street, not waiting for the light to change and turned left. Following several turns and curves in the road, he finally caught sight of his destination; a glass building that towered above the quaint surrounding neighborhoods. Figures could be seen moving behind glass as workers bustled about on each floor. Rounding the last corner he saw that the glass walls slowly transitioned into a beautiful glittering metal structure that twisted and ballooned outwards. Tendrils of metal running off the sides and onto the ground fanned out in all directions. The entire structure looked as if the top glass portion was in the middle of launch. The metal below imitating the smoke from a rocket’s engine. Whistling, he paused and snapped a photo of the impressive architecture with his iPod before heading in.

Glass doors slid open smoothly and a blast of cool air ruffled his clothes. The lobby sported white tile floors, gleaming metal counters, small fountains framing the welcome desk and red highlights scattered in the trim and various graphic designs that lined the walls. A tall, thin woman watched him as his steps faltered and his head spun. He’d never seen anything like this. Not even his University had been this aesthetically pleasing. Closing the final few steps between him and the desk, he fished out his ID and slid it across the surface towards her waiting fingers. 

“Iwaizumi Hajime correct?” Her voice was crisp and short. Nodding he pulled his gaze away from the walls and gave her a once over. Yes, she was thin, but up close she was fit. Toned muscles fanned across her arms and abdomen. Even through her shirt he could make out the rippling nature of an improving four pack. Her face was painted with a soft layer of concealer and black eye liner. A light shade of lipstick emphasizing her small, delicate mouth. Her painted black nails danced across the keyboard in front of her, information flashing quickly before her pointed gaze.

“You’re on the fifth floor with the rest of the staff housed here.” Exiting from whatever she had been looking at, a set of keys, a card with swipe access, and a folder appeared before him. “These are for your room,” she pointed at the keys, “that’s for access to the training sector,” she again indicated the card, “and this is all the information and wavers you’ll need for your first session. Your schedule is also inside.” Collecting the items in his hands, he nodded to let her know that he understood and was listening. 

“Good. Now if you’ll follow me please.” Turning away without making sure he was following, she maneuvered out from behind the metal desk and began ascending a stairwell to his left. Hurrying after her, they glided up the frameless structure; each individual stair held in place by it’s attachment to a single, translucent pole at the center of the spiral. Glancing up, the winding steps seemed to go on for ages. He could just barely make out the top of the spiral. _What happened if two people going opposite ways met up on this thing?_ Finding the banister, which was held up by the stairs themselves, his fingers trailed lightly along the icy surface ready to latch on if he lost his balance.

Passing several floors, they continued to ascend. Each floor was an open layout and whatever walls were there were made entirely of glass. The second floor had small grey cocoons that workers could climb into to take a nap, the third floor had one massive encased room with at least twenty people currently occupying the chairs inside. One person standing at the front drew masses of equations and diagrams on the glass which were then transmitted and projected on a screen at the far end of the room in a larger format. The fourth floor was similar except it was significantly quieter. 

Following his attendant onto the fifth floor, he silently celebrated getting off the staircase. Trailing after her through rows of small, identical cubes, she stopped in front of one. 

“This is your room. In a way, living inside this is a test itself. There are cameras inside which are watching for symptoms of claustrophobia. Your living quarters at the space station will be equally as cramped if not more so, therefore we must ascertain whether you can successfully live in such conditions.” Nodding he managed to suppress his look of annoyance as he withdrew his keys. With a slight wave and a nod, the woman disappeared back the way they came. Quickly unlocking the door, the thick metal barrier swung outwards revealing the small, minimalistic room. A futon occupied one corner, while the opposite side held a doorway which led to a small bathroom. Above both the futon and sink, a strip of lights were built into the wall; a small white remote controlling both rested beside the futon.

Pausing in the doorway, he frowned at the small set up. _Just how many additional tests would they subject him to before he completely passed?_

Huffing, he swung the door shut behind him and parked his suitcase against the wall. Plopping himself onto the futon and pulling out the schedule his attendant had provided him with.

Monday: 9:00AM- Fitness Testing  
11:00AM- Results  
12:00PM- Lunch  
2:00PM- Interview  
3:00PM- Mechanics Test  
5:00PM- Unlikely Scenario Test  
6:00PM- Departure Test  
Tuesday: 9:00AM- Begin Survival Training  
Wednesday: 9:00AM- Check in  
Friday: 9:00AM- End Survival Training  
Saturday: Train Departure at 11:00AM (Ticket included in folder)

Eyes lingering on the _Monday_ section of his schedule he groaned. His muscles already simulating the fatigue he would be experiencing afterwards. At the bottom, a curling note indicated the dinning hall hours.

_Breakfast hours: 6:00AM-9:00AM_  
Lunch hours: 12:00PM-3:00PM  
Dinner hours: 6:00PM-9:00PM 

Flipping the document over before paging quickly through the other papers, he replaced the schedule, tossed it to the side and collapsed onto the bed. Arms crossing over one another peacefully, legs stretching out to full extension. His body shuddered as he stretched, before falling into a relaxed position. He wasn’t tired, his body just didn’t want to move anymore. He didn’t want to explore or wander around. All he really wanted to do, was one thing he was actually unsure of carrying out.

Inevitably, his mind drifted back to Oikawa and a series of familiar memories that he carried to every unfamiliar place he visited. 

As kids, Oikawa and he had known each other since they were old enough to walk. They lived just down the street from one another and attended the same schools up until University. They’d always walk together, tiny fists clutching at the straps of their schoolbags, identical uniforms bathing their faces in a variety of colors. He recalled their first day of school, elementary school to be precise. Even then, Oikawa had a knack for styling his hair just right; honestly it was a tad messier. This particular memory was of their neighborhood street, bathed in the last rays of the summer sun, the pair of young boys walking silently side by side towards the school. Iwaizumi was more than nervous. His entire body was practically vibrating and his knuckles were turning white from how hard he was gripping the pack straps. Not one to miss a single detail, Oikawa’s premature voice pierced the morning silence.

“Ah, I’m so excited! Aren’t you Iwa-chan?” Startled, he eyed him questioningly before responding quietly.

“No, why should I be?”

“Because! It’s a new school! Our first year! We’re going to meet so many new people and teachers. I wonder if we’ll get to choose an art class! If so, I’m going to choose piano of course. And what about sports? Will you join any sport teams this year?” The brunette turned his attention to his companion, only to find his face had turned sickly white and his eyes swam.

“Iwa-chan! God you look awful! Are you really that nervous?”

“Shut up Oikawa.” He was met with a laugh. High childish bells that only inflamed his mood.

“Iwa-chan’s nervous~ Iwa-chan’s nervous~”

“No I’m not! And anyway, look at you!” Pausing in his recently begun victorious skipping, Oikawa, turned back to him, curious. 

“What, me?” A small finger pointing at himself.

“You always get like this when you’re nervous. You’re probably more nervous than I am and are just hiding it with that performance!” His hands curled into fists at this and he pouted in that way that only Oikawa could.

“So mean Iwa-chan! How could you say such a thing?” This time it was his turn to laugh. Running ahead of the brunette he egged him on until they were chasing each other down the street. Even then, Oikawa had known exactly how to flip his mood around. It was only natural after spending so much time together that he knew how to handle a whining Oikawa too.

During their third year in Elementary school they both joined the Volleyball club; Oikawa was bent on learning the sport. After a particular grueling practice, the team had gone for a run, the coach wanting to teach their bodies to work without energy or oxygen. Oikawa tripped of course. Hearing the characteristic startled cry from behind him, Iwaizumi turned around and ran back to the collapsed heap of sweat and fabric. 

“Baka. How clumsy can you be?” His hands found their way under his arms and lifted him out of the dirt. His palms were cut, his nose was bleeding and raw, and the front of his shirt was torn and covered in dirt. A small sob escaped the boy’s lips. 

“Iwa-chan. I tripped. It hurts.” His sentences, if you could call them that, dissolved into small sobs. By then, the rest of the club had returned to the scene and were whispering frantically. One ran off to get the teacher and the pair came back within a few minutes, first aid kit in hand. Iwaizumi had sat with Oikawa through the whole thing, letting him squeeze his hand when he was scared or it hurt. Neosporin and antibiotic cream were used to clean out his cuts before they were wrapped with bandaids and athletic tape. A small square bandaid graced the tip of his nose where a small bead of blood was gradually seeping through the material.

“You should go home for the day and take tomorrow off if you don’t feel up to it.” Repacking the medical kit, the coach stood and offered a hand to help him up. “Want me to take you home?” Standing, that was Iwaizumi’s cue.

“I’ll take him home. We live right by each other so it’s no problem.” Turning to him, her expression passed from confusion to impression. 

“All right Iwaizumi-kun. I’ll let you take care of him. The rest of you, practice is over for the day. Go home and rest. No staying up late to do homework!” Iwaizumi had already moved to Oikawa’s side by the time the coach finished. 

“Come on, hop on.” He squatted and waited for Oikawa to climb on his back. Hands locking into place under his thighs. His friend’s arms wrapping gently around his neck and chest. Standing, they adjusted before going back to the gym to grab their things. Oikawa strapped the bags on himself so they wouldn’t hinder Iwaizumi’s mobility, but he still had to carry the weight. 

Trudging home, this was probably the first time contact between them had an effect on Iwaizumi. He couldn’t get comfortable, his heart was beating way too fast for it to be just from the exertion. Small, delicate hands red and callused from practice warmed his chest. Thin fingers clutching the sweat soaked fabric of his shirt. His chest pressed against Iwaizumi’s back and he could just make out the light increase in pressure every time he took a breath. Bits of brown hair occasionally fell into his view as the wind picked up. Shivering as their sweat dried, Oikawa pressed against him for warmth and Iwaizumi shivered violently in response. Again, Oikawa’s annoying perceptiveness proved fatal. 

“Iwa-chan are you okay? Your heart’s beating really fast. Maybe we should take a break?” Frowning, the jostled the male. Hitting a few bruised areas just for annoyance. 

“Shut up Bakakawa. I’m fine. If we stop I’ll make you walk the rest of the way on your own.” The male’s feet kicked in protest.

“So cruel Iwa-chan! I’m just a poor, injured, delicate child! You should be worried about me!” 

“I was worried! Why else would I volunteer to carry you home?” He was met with silence, a small pout contorting Oikawa’s face and lips. Continuing on, his legs burning from the additional workout. Iwaizumi took that as a victory over the smaller male, who silently leaned against him for the remainder of the trip. 

Dropping him at his house, his mother had thanked him for taking care of her son before taking him away to be treated. Iwaizumi couldn’t help but feel that he should be going with them and that he was being shut out: watching his best friend disappear into the darkness behind a black door.

There had been other times after that of course. When studying together, Oikawa caught him staring at him after he had said something. He pointed it out and Iwaizumi had acted flustered, looking away hastily. Or when, in their sixth year, they had sat next to each other on the bus on a field trip. Oikawa fell asleep on the ride and ended up collapsing on Iwaizumi’s shoulder. He couldn’t help but stare; soft, silky brown locks cascaded over his shoulder, thick eyelashes casting a deep shadow across his cheeks, lips parted slightly as light breaths whisked in and out. Driving his gaze out the window, Iwaizumi attempted to avoid looking at the sleeping male. He was just too gorgeous. Like this, laying there propped against his side, Oikawa seemed almost delicate: like a single misdirected blow would shatter his very being. Grinding his teeth, his mind raced for a distraction. _Don’t look at him, don’t look at him, don’t look at him it’ll only make it worse…okay…maybe just a quick peek._ Glancing back down, Oikawa groaned, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. Shivering violently, goosebumps ripped across his arm and shoulder. Snuggling closer, the male molded himself unknowingly to Iwaizumi’s torso before his head stilled. Pausing, Iwaizumi couldn’t look anymore or he’d risk waking him up. Warm breaths brushed against his skin, brown strands wrapping themselves about his own black ones. This was the closest they had been in a while. Hours later, Oikawa began to stir and lifted himself out of Iwaizumi’s body before regaining full consciousness. They hadn’t mentioned it afterwards. Several years later, in High School, he’d experienced heartbreak for the first time. Oikawa got a girlfriend. Iwaizumi couldn’t bear to recall the details of that memory. Those few weeks had been misery for both males: Oikawa constantly consulting Iwaizumi about his love life, Iwaizumi forcing his emotions down so as not to be discovered, and of course, the long nights of wondering. _Were they together? Is that why Shittykawa wasn’t messaging him like usual? Or, were they doing something more? Sex? Kissing? Maybe watching a cheesy romance movie and making out._ Secretly, Iwaizumi would have done anything to get those lips off of hers and on his. And he still would. He imagined them to be soft, plump, and luxurious. They fit perfectly together, moving in perfect harmony as they sucked, bit, licked, and teased until they both turned white from Oxygen deprivation.

Groaning, he sat up swiftly from his bed. The image becoming too much to handle quietly as it slipped towards the dirtied side of his mind. Quickly, he nudged the folder out of his way, gathered his toiletries and pajamas before investigating the bathroom and shower thoroughly. Emerging glistening and clean. Setting the timer on his phone for seven the next morning he rolled into bed. Securely blocking his active mind from thoughts of Oikawa. When he finally fell asleep however, his mind unlocked and his dreams were flooded with sloppy kisses and exploratory hands. Ghosting touches, fingers dancing across bare skin which heaved with desperate breaths, discarded clothes, colorful wrappers, hair pulling, blue and purple marks trailing down torsos and chests, and a god like model of a man staring up at him as he finally got what he had wanted for the past seventeen years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in getting this out! Real life demands attention and I wanted to take my time thinking this sequence out and writing it. I've also finally nailed down the remainder of the plot! Woo! So onwards! Full steam ahead! ╭( ･ㅂ･)و ̑̑ ˂ᵒ͜͡ᵏᵎ⁾✩


	5. Uncoupled Oscillators (p1)

Waking, he was drenched in sweat. Muscles clenched tight and sore from hours of unsolicited excitement. Gritting his teeth he sat up and pulled the blankets back to find exactly what he didn’t need. Cursing at the pressure coiled in his abdomen, he quickly flicked his alarm off and waddled to the shower. Ripping his shirt off, he stopped mid stride as he remembered the cameras scattered through his room. Quickly examining the bathroom, he found only one pointed at the door. _At least they gave him that much. He could shower and piss unobserved._ Turning the water on scalding hot, he relieved himself as quickly as possible before rinsing off the odor of arousal and dressing again. Athletic shorts, shoes, and a loose top would do for whatever obscene activities they would have him complete today. Slipping sweats and a jacket on over those, he gathered his phone and keys before letting the door swing shut heavily behind him. 

Heading towards the stairs, he hesitated before beginning his descent. They really were too narrow for two people to traverse them and be capable of passing one another without falling off. Biting his lip, he stepped up to the clear tube that was the center of the spiraling stairs. _It was hollow._ Looking at the structure, and odd force seemed to repel him from the edges. Utterly bewildered by the set up, a high, squeaky, excited voice from behind him made him jump. Flying around, arms flailing wildly as he attempted to keep his balance, a young brown haired girl laughed at him.

“My my well aren’t you a complete newbie?” She joked, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. Regaining his composure, Iwaizumi straightened his jacket before meeting her gaze.

“Ah, sorry! But do you know how to get down?” He motioned to the set up he had been contemplating before her arrival. Cocking an eyebrow at him, she stepped around his already moving form, the smell of a gentle flowery perfume wafting up to him. 

“Sure. Just do what I do!” Thrusting her arms out to the sides, palms facing down, she waited for him to copy her before crossing her arms over her chest and drawing them as close to her body as possible. “Then, all you do is jump!” Nodding, he faltered at the word _jump_. 

“Wait what? Jump? Where? Into that?” His index finger shook at the clear tube. She simply smiled in response. 

“Yep! Then, to get off at the floor you want, just extend your arms a tad and turn your palms towards the glass. You’ll slow down and stop at the next floor. Then you just step out!” Turning away from his dazed and confused face, she flashed a peace sign before doing just that: jumping. Toes pointed, arms crossed, the little clipboard she held pressed flat against her chest, she fell straight down the tube. Squinting, lips parted, Iwaizumi could have sworn he saw small blue cracks of electricity clinging to her falling form. She progressed all the way down the tube until she drew nearly even with the ground floor before uncrossing her arms and turning her palms towards the outer ring of glass. More strands of electricity clung to her hands at the motion and her descent slowed to a smooth stop. Extending one leg while still suspending herself inside the tube, she exited through a cut out onto the main floor. Glancing back up at him, she waved, gave him the thumbs up and walked away. Brown bob bouncing happily as she disappeared. Twitching, he nearly growled at her attitude. Her resemblance to Oikawa was almost scary. 

Sighing, he followed her lead. Crossing his arms over his chest, he stepped up to the tube. _Okay, so the physical training center is on the third floor. I’m on the fifth, so that’s two floors down? Am I supposed to count them as they go by?_ Sucking in a huge breath, he jumped. Falling feet first down two stories could only be described as terrifying. He only barely managed to stop his descent in time to exit the tube of death. Small pin pricks of electricity clinging to his palms until he too, withdrew them. 

Following several strategically placed signs he maneuvered towards the athletic center. The familiar odor of sweat, leather, and dust greeted his nostrils in welcoming tendrils. His mind was immediately whisked back to high school; the gyms high ceilings towering above him and his team. Shoes squeaked across the floor as a player made a sudden stop to jump or receive. Then his voice, crisp, pronounced, intense, yet beautiful, soothing, and melodious would ring out. Reaching and commanding every player standing within the courts white square boundaries. Sculpted, slender fingers would briefly touch leather before perfectly launching the ball towards his chosen spiker. Body bending in perfect form as muscles contracted and brown, milky eyes analyzed the ball’s trajectory and made mental notes of how the spiker made contact. The sharp sound of a high impact crash between skin and leather pierced the endorphin dulled air before the thud of impact as the ball flattened itself against the floor on the opposite side of the net reached his ears. All of this he heard, his eyes trained on a single male who had captivated his heart since they were young. He’d turn to Iwaizumi, eyes unfocused, practically looking past him. A second would pass where they simply breathed, sweat clinging to their brows, Iwaizumi’s eyes desperately calling out to him. Unaware, he’d refocus, smile and laugh a little. Making some casual remark that used to make his blood boil in response but now only mildly annoyed him. They’d go on like that for years. 

Having finished traversing the halls while his mind had wandered, Iwaizumi found himself standing outside the athletic director’s office. Knocking, two men appeared in front of him and began to address him. He responded in kind, but his mind was no longer focused. His heart fluttering delicately in his chest as the image of the brunettes smile plastered itself against his eyelids. Practically floating, he followed the two men into the gym and began his series of tests.

________________________________

Returning to his room, he barely managed to stumble through the door before his muscles gave out. Collapsing onto the floor in a heap of sweat and fabric, his legs tangled unnaturally beneath him and arms cradled his cranium. Steadying his breaths, he finally relaxed. Nearly passing out as the last remaining energy in his limbs drained into the grey carpet.

He hadn’t performed anything that excruciatingly exhausting since exiting High School. The stress of performing perfectly and answering everything as best he could had been surprisingly taxing on his body. The athletic tests weren’t even what did him in, it was simply the scheduling. Cursing the people who had decided on his schedule, he managed to pull himself into bed. Ripping his shirt and shorts off in the process as well as grabbing a pair of clean boxers from his suitcase which had been opened early that morning, he slipped on the clean under garment and lay there. The clean fabric brushing against him, and a light breeze from the air conditioner in the ceiling lulled him into a light sleep. His mind shutting off completely as his chest rose and fell unnoticeably. When he did dream, it was still black. Darkness with a light voice echoing as if in a large room. 

“Iwa-chan! Where are you?” 

A laugh. Light, as if responding to a joke.

“Come and find me Iwa-chan! I have something special for you!”

He could almost hear the smile in his voice.

Without any vocal communication, he denied moving. _I don’t want to. I’m so tired. I want to keep sitting here. Why don’t you come find me instead?_ The voice groaned in response, as though he had spoken aloud.

“Iwa-chan! you’re no fun!”

A pause.

“All right.” 

A few moments of silence before whatever he was sitting on moved to his right, then to his left. A light pressure settling on his thighs. _Kneeling. Those were his knees on either side of his legs and that pressure…_ Breaths ghosted across his chest and neck before a firm grip took hold of his chin, tilting it up ever so slightly. 

“Iwa-chan.” The males voice, heated, strained, asking for permission to do something more.

_God yes, please, do it. Do it already. God damn it just take me. Fuck._

Anxious, his stomach rolled, his heart felt like it was going to burst from his chest. Reaching up, his arms wrapped around the figure he knew was there, but still couldn’t see. Toned muscles flinching at his touch before pressing back into it. His neck craned up to where the awaiting lips should be. The hand on his jaw loosened before falling onto his cheek, tilting his head to the side so their lips could meet. The breaths against his skin grew heavier, stronger as the distance between them closed. Soft, silken hair brushed against Iwaizumi’s skin as his hands slid up and down the other’s bare back. _God yes, he needed this. He had waited for years. And now, he could finally indulge himself. Make out just how those lips moved, how they would fit against his. He could explore everything, his mouth, his neck, his chest and collar bones, every crevice he had ever wanted to touch he would make his._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the 2-part chapter. AO3 isn't saving the full chapter. :(


	6. Uncoupled Oscillators (p2)

ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ONLY ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME SEXY ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ONLY ME…

Practically jumping off the futon, Iwaizumis phone rang violently in the heap of discarded clothes. Recognizing the ringtone immediately he scrambled to retrieve the device before it rolled over to voicemail. Withdrawing it, he swiped to accept the call without checking what form it came in. Returning to the bed, he collapsed again before lifting it to his ear. He was met with practically hysterical laughter.

“Shittykawa, what are you laughing at?”

“Iwa-chan! I can see you you know!” Confused for a second, he lifted the phone from the side of his head to find a refreshed Oikawa staring at him through the screen. _Shit, FaceTime._ Realizing instantly that he was still mostly naked, his heart fluttered nervously. _There is absolutely no need for that shit. He’s seen me topless countless times. Stop it. Right the fucking now. Goddamn unwarranted physical reactions._ He was ripped from his inner struggle by another chime from Oikawa.

“Stop thinking so hard Iwa-chan! You’re face is all scrunched up from the effort!” He giggled profusely and, blushing madly, Iwaizumi would have given anything to reach through the screen and strangle the annoying brat.

“Shut up Shittykawa.” Spurred on by the remnants of his dream and Oikawa’s silence, he continued. “You’re one to talk. You’re hair is a freaking mess.” He made a point of directing his gaze towards the bush that currently occupied the male’s head instead of his usual sleek style. Instantly self-conscious, Oikawa flattened the spikes with his free hand and pouted.

“How dare you! It’s been a long day and I got caught in the rain on my way home! You know my hair goes crazy when it’s air dried.” Humming to himself, he eyed the male mockingly. 

“You had a hard day? Really? Want to fill me in there? Then you can listen to what I went through as payment for me listening.” Thrusting his tongue out at the male, Oikawa shifted, the camera refocusing after a minute.

“It was just rough going back to the studio after my last failure. It felt like an interrogation. Everyone was asking what went wrong, what happened, why did I fail so utterly miserably? The only time I could escape was by locking myself in the practice room. And, even though I played that day you called, it was still painful looking at the piano.”

“But did that effect you’re ability to practice?”

“Of course not! I practiced and am working on a new piece, I’ve given up on that other piece. It’s too tainted now. I’d never be able to play it without being reminded of that night. But I was basically playing constantly for eight hours to avoid listening to passing conversations or questions. It was awful.”

“That’s a shame. That other piece was really beautiful Oikawa.” _Whoops._ The moment that phrase slipped past his lips he knew he’d made a mistake. The look contorting Oikawa’s features was painful enough, but his voice began to take on the post performance depression he had just gotten over again.

“I know Iwa-chan. I know it was beautiful. It would have been one of my best pieces. But, but I just, can’t. Not right now at least. Maybe in a few years I’ll be able to go back to it and finish it. But right now, it’s just too painful.” 

_But you’ll be a different person then. Your repertoire will have changed entirely. Even what you want to evoke from the audience will have changed. If you think you can make it one of your masterpieces now, then in a few years when your heart is ready to proceed, your mind won’t be the same. It may not come out as nice as it will if you proceed now….But I can’t say that._

“If you say so. Just don’t come crying to me when nothing else meets the kind of caliber you’re aiming for.” 

“Ha! You wish!” Jabbing himself in the chest with a thumb he flashed his most annoying smile at Iwaizumi. “I’m gonna make it big one way or another so one day, I won’t need you to comfort me anymore!” 

“Good! I can’t wait to see the day you do.” Iwaizumi said it in a joking manner, implying that he didn’t believe Oikawa could make it to the top, even though he did. At that point he was on autopilot. Once again, a string of words having more of an impact on Iwaizumi than was ever meant. _One day, he won’t need me. He won’t want to come crying to me when something goes wrong. He’s going to leave me behind just like everyone else has. No, please, anything but that. I want to be his support, for as long as possible._ His insides twisted painfully.

“Well Iwa-chan. Tell me.” He flopped on his stomach, propping the phone up against what he assumed was his beds headboard. Arms folding under his chin, eyes alert and curious. He was actually interested in Iwaizumis day. _The little bastard. At least for now, he still wanted him. That would have to do._ Sighing, he folded an arm beneath his head before beginning.

“Well, they’re retesting me in a few areas. I guess maybe they needed to see for themselves? Regardless, I’ve been running from one thing to the next since nine this morning. Interviews, tests, I was even tested in some basic engineering! It’s not like that’s what I studied in University. I did manage to pass though so I guess that’s good. There was a crash testing simulation, as well as a launching simulation. And holy crap that was exhausting. Whatever they put me in literally simulated the effects of launch. I can tell you, it’s really really loud.” He continued rambling, all the while Oikawa’s eyes followed his movements. His body wriggling every now and then as he adjusted his position for optimal comfort. At some point, he rolled over onto his back and simply listened to Iwaizumis voice. 

“Oikawa, you’re not asleep are you? I told you you have to listen to my monologue in exchange for me listening to yours.” Groaning he shifted in the frame again.

“Mine wasn’t much of a monologue though. You got to chip in your thoughts and responses. Yours is the true monologue. How long has it been now? An hour?” He looked at his wrist as though he was checking the time before smiling to himself. The ball of brown hair blocking Iwaizumi from seeing the joy spreading across his face.

“What was that Assikawa? You have something to say? Hm? Then turn around and say it. I’ll wait.” An edge was in his voice, almost aggressive, like usual. Flipping, Oikawa lay his cheek against his arm and simply gazed at Iwaizumi. His eyes soft and beckoning.

“Iwa-chan, you’re really something you know?” Startled, he hesitated to respond.

“Huh?” Oikawa chuckled, his arms reaching out to re-angle the slipping phone. From Iwaizumi’s angle though, it looked like he was reaching for _him_. His breath hitched.

“You’re taking on so much. There’s no way I would have been able to do that in a single day. Yet you did. And not only did you complete everything but you did really well with it all.” He paused, giving Iwaizumi a chance to interject some smart remark. But was met with silence, the male too preoccupied with attempting to force down his rising blush. Oikawa looked so seductive laying there, head tilted at just the perfect angle for a kiss, eyes daring him to do something, the corners of his lips tilted up in a gentle smile. _Damn_. Missing his chance, Oikawa continued. 

“You’re doing so well, I’m so proud of you. I wish I was there with you instead of separated by this thing.” He glared at what Iwaizumi assumed was the screen, though he was still actually looking at Iwaizumi. “If I were there we could celebrate…” 

_Yeah, champagne and a movie, we both know where that would go._

“…and then sleep all day and watch Alien movies and eat popcorn….” 

_Do I have to watch one of your dorky movies?…_

“Oh, I know! Iwa-chan, when do you get back?” 

“Saturday.” He answered without hesitation.

“Awesome! Then I’ll come visit!” Oikawa had returned to an upright position, hands clutching the phone, eyes wild with excitement. Sitting up, Iwaizumi’s initial reaction was surprisingly, horror.

“Wait Oikawa, I won’t have a chance to clean, I won’t be able to pick you up, you could get lost, my neighborhood isn’t the safest to get lost in.”

“Oh Iwa-chan, I’ll be fine! Stop worrying! You just get home whenever you can and I’ll meet you there! I can ever prepare dinner for you!” Faltering, his voice immediately serious.

“Oikawa, you will not cook. You are absolutely forbidden to use my kitchen. In fact, stay the fuck out of it. Don’t even go in there. Don’t touch anything, don’t get anything, don’t make, microwave, cook, or eat anything without me getting it for you. You’ll burn the entire apartment building down and I’ll be fined for it.” Putting his hand up in defense Oikawa submitted.

“Okay okay Iwa-chan. Then I guess you’ll have to cook for me as long as I’m not allowed to.” A playful note made its way into Oikawa’s voice. 

“You wish. Unfortunately, I won’t be cooking for you for the remainder of your life. You’re going to have to learn one way or another.” Another bolt of excitement made the other male sit up straighter.

“Then you’ll teach me?”

“No, I never said that.”

“Iwa-chan’s going to teach me to cook! Iwa-chan Iwa-chan Iwa-chan!” He sang his name in the most delicious way possible. Allowing a smile to break his usual composure for a split second he laughed at Oikawas over exaggerated excitement. When he fell silent again, Oikawa was silent as well, staring at him with wide eyes.

“I MADE IWA-CHAN LAUGH! That’s it! I’m done! I resign from my duties, I have accomplished everything I set out to achieve in this conversation.” 

“Shut it Shittykawa you wish you made me laugh! I just remembered a funny conversation I overheard earlier today! Had nothing to do with you.” Turning his head away in denial, this time Oikawa laughed. The familiar chiming of bells soothing any doubts Iwaizumi had about Oikawa’s mental state. _He was back to normal. He was better. And Iwaizumi had been the cause of that. He had actually managed to help Oikawa get over something traumatic._ Restraining himself this time so as not to elicit another celebration from Oikawa, he allowed a feeling of success to blossom in his chest. _There may come a day when Oikawa would no longer need him, but today was not that day. Today, Iwaizumi was still Oikawas closest friend. His support in times of need, his biggest supporter, besides his parents of course, and the person he could trust with absolutely everything. If only Iwaizumi could find the courage within himself to trust Oikawa with his true feelings like Oikawa had._

“Oikawa, I need to tell you now otherwise I won’t get a chance to.” His intense tone brought Oikawas attention back to his phone, the time of their call ticking away in the corner. A quizzical look plastered on his face.

“What is it Iwa-chan?” Hesitating, for a second he thought about a confession. Just putting everything out in the open before disappearing for a few days to do survival training. _But no, that’s not how I want that to happen._

“I’m not going to be able to call you until Saturday. I begin something called Survival Training tomorrow and it basically lasts until the time I go home. I’ll be too tired every night to talk.” A look of disappointment settled across Oikawas face. _Disappointment at what? That they couldn’t talk? Was that the reason? Was that the only reason? Or could he secretly have been hoping for something more?_

“Okay Iwa-chan. Mind if I ask what that entails?” Iwaizumi shook his head.

“Can’t tell. Same as before. Classified information.” Tsking at him, Oikawa frowned before picking his smile back up.

“All right. That’s fine then! I bet you’re tired Iwa-chan. Do you want to call it a night and you can give me all the juicy details on Saturday?” Nodding slowly, Iwaizumi had indeed been fighting off sleep for the past half of their conversation. His body was heavy, he could barely sit up, his eyes were already half lidded and his speech was slowing.

“Yeah, sorry but can we?”

“Of course Iwa-chan. Sleep well! Make sure you have a nutritious breakfast and don’t do anything too crazy! You can do this!” Offering his fist for a virtual fist bump, Iwaizumi scoffed at him before returning the gesture.

“Good night Iwa-chan!” The screen went dark. The last image of Oikawa’s smiling face, a classic peace sign flashed at the camera and his eyes sparkling behind closed lids. Letting out a heavy sigh, Iwaizumi checked his alarm before collapsing back onto the bed again. 

_He didn’t comment on me being shirtless. Did it not effect him at all? Regardless of the fact that they had seen each other shirtless multiple times, Iwaizumi always had to make a mental effort to contain himself when Oikawa stripped. His gorgeous, sculpted muscles rippling beneath a layer of skin, a few freckles from over exposure to the sun dotted his back. A light hint of the ultimate six pack just peaked through his stomach. His collar bones exaggerated by heavy breathing and the gym lights casting shadows in the taunting indents._

Without another thought, he passed out. Darkness and fog blocking every thought of the male and the days to come. Somewhere in his mind, he hoped that his alarm would be loud enough to wake him up on time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we go! The next installment of the story. I hope you all liked it! It's my first time writing fluff and angst (I actually researched how to write it before and during this chapter hehe). But anyway, I know you all are reading this for the IwaOi/OiIwa (I shall not reveal who I end up deciding is top ꒰✪ૢꇵ✪ૢ꒱ෆ⃛), so I'm going to attempt to keep the world descriptions and experiences to a minimum without effecting the story or plot while maximizing the love birds contact (math terms ew).
> 
> BUT OMG IT WAS SO HARD FOR ME CAUSE I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE IDEA OF THE TUBE THAT TRANSPORTS THEM DOWN AND I WISH IT WAS A REAL THING I COULD HAVE SPENT PAGES DESCRIBING THAT THING ˭̡̞(◞⁎˃ᆺ˂)◞*✰
> 
> Please let me know how I'm doing with building the romance. Are you feeling it? Is it falling short?? I want to make it the best I can and it's an improvement process so all and any comments, feedback, and suggestions are encouraged!! I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK 
> 
> Other than that, I'm toying with the idea of actually including a smut scene towards the end. I have somewhere where it would fit PERFECTLY, buuuuuut I've never written that either so I don't know...also typing that can get really embarrassing and if someone found it on my computer....(#ﾟﾛﾟ#)
> 
> Anyway, hope you all liked it! No idea when the next chapter will be up, I was just majorly inspired to write this today so I did...boycotting school in the process...


	7. Superposition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: A REALISTIC AND TRAUMATIC SITUATION IS DETAILED WITHIN THIS CHAPTER. IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH SUCH A SITUATION, PLEASE DO NOT READ.

The next few days could only be described as hell on earth. Iwaizumi barely managed to keep himself from face planting in his food every night before stumbling home and falling asleep covered in filth. His alarm gradually increased in volume until it had to be plugged into speakers to be loud enough to rile the dormant male. His hair was plastered to his scalp, skin slick with sweat and dirt, his clothes stuck to his skin and the sole of his shoes gradually started to peel away. He was at his absolute limit in a mere matter of days.

The morning of his departure was the first day his alarm didn’t wake him up. A vicious knock at his door the only sound sharp enough to break the ice of sleep.

“Iwaizumi-san! I apologize for this, but you really must leave now! The cleaning staff needs to ready that room for the next applicant!” Whoever it was practically shouted through the door. A fist with several rings binding their fingers creating painful pings that echoed in his room. Pushing himself from the bed he stumbled to the door. Collapsing against it but leaving it closed.

  
“Sorry! Can you give me twenty minutes to shower and pack? I’ll leave as soon as I’m done!”

  
Silence.

  
“All right. But hurry it up.” Sighing, he quickly ripped the dirt embedded clothes from his skin and stepped into the shower. Quickly finishing and redressing, he paid no mind to the cameras which he had been so paranoid about when he first arrived.

  
Exactly twenty minutes later, Iwaizumi emerged from the room. Grimacing as he was hit by the midday sunlight and scents of cleaning chemicals. To the left stood a group of apron clad men and women.

  
Flicking an apologetic wave and grin their way, he bolted before they could see the dirt stained sheets. The women at the front desk eyeing him questioningly as he returned the room keys and left. His attention no longer drawn to the architecture he had once been enraptured by.

  
The train ride home was quiet and Iwaizumi passed out as soon as the vehicle started moving. He jolted awake every time the car stopped at a station. His station came sooner than expected and he barely made it past the closing doors.

  
It was late afternoon already. Tisking at himself, he puled out his phone and dialed Oikawas number.

  
“Iwa-chan! You survived!”

  
“Eh? Of course I am. Did you expect me not to?”

  
“Of course not!”

  
“Then what’s with that greeting?”

  
“Nothing really. I’m just glad you’re coming home. You are on your way right?”

  
“Yeah, I just got off the train. It’ll take about thirty minutes to walk back.” He paused, almost hoping that Oikawa’s answer to his next question would be _no_. The squeak of a door indicated otherwise. “You’re already at my place aren’t you.”

  
“Yep! I’m tidying up a bit for your arrival. Iwa-chan, I must say, this place is a mess.” Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. The strands had resumed their normal positions having been freed from the impenetrable layers of sweat and dirt.

  
“It is not Oikawa. Don’t be a brat.”

  
“Oh but I’m not. In fact, I just found a rather interesting collection of dust bunnies and dead batteries. Did you even know these were back here?”

  
His hand slid down, tugging his skin sharply.

  
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  
“Well it is filthy. I mean really Iwa-chan. It looks like I’m going to have to come over more and clean up after you. In return you can cook.”

  
“Mhm.” His vision was blurring again as he fought off sleep. Oikawa went on about how filthy his apartment was. Detailing very speck of dust he could find in the place. Iwaizumi continued on, shoes flopping hopelessly against the concrete. Eyes focused on the ground trying to avoid tripping.

  
He had to be only ten minutes away from home when it happened.

  
Oikawa voice droned on. His voice like bells, barely keeping Iwaizumi conscious. A sudden but firm grip on his shoulder sent him spiraling into the side of a building. His bag thrown off his shoulder, arms pinned to either side of him as a heavy body settles on top of him. A rag is quickly stuffed down his throat and the overpowering stench that accompanied it makes his eyes water. He bucks and kicks under the figure, managing to slam his head into the strangers face. Enraged, the stranger practically roars and slams a ringed fist into his temple. The blackness that had been lingering at the edges of his vision during his walk collapses and engulfs his entire field of view. Barely, he can feel the strangers strong, cold fingers latch onto his crumpled form and drag him into shadow.

  
The phone lies discarded in the pavement. Oikawa’s voice faltering through the speakers as his monologue dies off.

  
The stranger moves them about thirty yards back before flinging Iwaizumi back up against a moist wall. Papers crinkle under his feet and the stranger kicks something aside as he presses back up against Iwaizumi. Alcohol saturated breath invades his mouth as the stranger presses his tongue against Iwaizumi’s lips. Fingers dig into his side and tear at his shirt.

  
The gag won’t move no matter how hard he coughs or tries to expel it. Whatever chemical it has been soaked in has already affected Iwaizumi’s body. Making him unable to exert more than a gentle pressure against his assailant. As his shirt is pulled farther away from his body, an ice cold object is pressed against his side. He flinches away as it presses harshly against his skin.

  
_A knife_?!

  
The assailant drags his tongue along his skin, leaving slick trails of DNA that shine sickly in the dim light.

  
“Don’t think I didn’t notice him.” He jolts up. A sudden surge of fear and confusing gripping him at the man’s first words. “That gorgeous chestnut topped male that went to your apartment earlier today. I’ve been observing you for a while, memorizing your movements, imagining what I would do once I got a hold of you…”

  
Pressing himself harshly against the wall, Iwaizumi tried to cry out. His voice strangled by the rag. An intense pain ripping through his skin where the knife had been pressed and had now pierced his flesh.

  
_What the hell does he want with me_?!

  
“I’ve dreamed of this you know. Getting the opportunity to turn your skin into sandpaper. But now, I have a bonus. That chestnut beauty will come looking for you when you don’t return. Then I can have fun with him as well!” He laughed sickly and moved the blade. Dragging it upwards along his ribs.

  
Trying to escape, Iwaizumi pressed as hard as he could against his restraints. Bringing a knee up into the man’s crotch. The chemical dulling his attempts to the point that they had no effect.

  
He tried not to think. He tried to stay present and strong. He didn’t want to rely on anyone, let alone the very person this man was looking for.

  
_Oikawa. Please._

  
What? Don’t come? Come? Save me? Save yourself?

  
His mind was made up by an outside force.

  
The assailant was flung to the right. His weight leaving Iwaizumi and the knife falling from his stomach. A white clad figure glowed against the light filtering in from the street gripped his wrist and pulled him away from the wall. Strangled cries from the assailant clawed at his ear drums. Oikawa pulled him hastily as they tried to outrun the man. Iwaizumi tripped over discarded items that littered the ally he had been in, and he felt the man’s breath ghost against his shoulder as hands clawed at his shirt and hair. Ripping the rag from his mouth, he tugged at Oikawa’s hand. The brunette, immediately understanding, whirled and slammed what looked like a rock the size of his fist into the man’s skull. He collapsed with a thud and the pair dashed broke through the entrance to the alley.

  
They sprinted home. Iwaizumi’s bag flopping sloppily on Oikawa’s shoulder, Iwaizumi’s free hand holding his shirt again his wound to try to minimize the bleeding while they ran.

  
Once inside, they bolted the door, dropped Iwaizumi’s things and Oikawa dragged him to the bathroom.

  
No words were exchanged, only glances and touches as Oikawa bandaged his stomach. It wasn’t serious enough to merit a trip to the hospital and the pair took the extra time to gather Iwaizumi’s essentials. After calling a taxi, they waited for it’s arrival huddled in the dark next to the window. Oikawa’s arm wrapped protectively around Iwaizumi’s huddled figure.

  
The taxi arrived and they ran from the front door. Eyes constantly scanning for the man.

  
They drove to Oikawa’s place.

  
Once inside, to which they had also run, Oikawa forced Iwaizumi out of his clothes and into bed. Locking every inch of the apartment and arming his alarm system before crawling under the covers with him. Again, no words. Oikawa instinctually drawing Iwaizumi to his chest and holding him there.

  
They lay like that for hours before the first words were exchanged.

  
“Are you all right?”

  
Iwaizumi nodded silently. His hair brushing against Oikawa’s bare chest.

  
“How did you find me?”

  
“No matter how thick you can be, you’d never just hang up on me Iwa-chan. I knew as soon as you didn’t respond. How did he get you?”

  
“I was practically sleep walking, so he just grabbed me, stuffed a rag in my mouth and pulled me away. I couldn’t even react.” He shivered and Oikawa’s grip tightened.

  
“Well you’re safe now…”

  
“He knew where I lived.” Iwaizumi interjected. “He said he had been watching me, planning this. He knew about you as well. He was planning on doing the same to you Oikawa.”

  
Silence.

  
“Then you can’t go back there. I’ll go back and-“

  
“No Oikawa. You can’t go back either. He might find you.”

  
“Okay, then a mover will go back, get your stuff and you’ll move in here with me. Just for the time being, until you’re safe again.”

  
Iwaizumi didn’t respond. His legs only slowly unfolded as the adrenalin died away.

  
Oikawa lowered his head until his nose brushed against Iwaizumi’s locks. Sighing he rubbed Iwaizumi’s back comfortingly.

  
“I’m so glad you’re alright.”

  
Iwaizumi was grateful that he was so tired, for that was the only thing keeping the blush at bay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Call this sudden inspiration. 
> 
> As always, feedback is welcomed.
> 
> No idea when the next installment will be posted...


	8. A Graviational Pull Neither of us can Comprehend

They stayed like that for the remainder of the day and night; curled tightly against one another. Oikawa’s arms constantly moving in one way or another: rubbing his back, fingers massaging patterns into his skin, muscles clenching and unclenching. Iwaizumi occasionally switched positions, fighting between the urges to completely curl into a ball against Oikawa or to stretch his legs out and wrap them around Oikawa’s. Occasionally, one or both of them would need to rise for some inconvenient object or objective. When Oikawa left, Iwaizumi shrunk in the empty space and let the covers fall over his head until Oikawa came back. When Iwaizumi had to get up, Oikawa would practically carry him to wherever he needed to go before setting him down and letting him take care of whatever he needed to. He was always less than five yards away from Iwaizumi.

Late in the night, Iwaizumi was finally hit with a wave of hunger and his legs were practically screaming to be moved.

“I can always cook for you Iwa-chan.” Oikawa offered. His fingers again tracing light circular patterns into his muscles.

“Not a chance. I don’t trust you around hot objects and fire.” Rising, he left the blankets behind and began prepping. Oikawa scurrying around the kitchen, fetching whatever he asked for. 

_This is kind of nice, in a weird way. Having him behave like this, I’m enjoying it._

Once the ramen was finished and served, the pair curled up on Oikawa’s couch in front of the TV and flipped on a movie they had both seen a hundred times already; Iwaizumi carefully curled against Oikawa’s side. The hours ticked by without either of them noticing. They took pleasure in the simple proximity of their counterpart, listening to their breathing, threading their fingers through each other’s hair absentmindedly. 

Neither of them remembered actually falling asleep.

Iwaizumi woke with two strong arms wrapped around him, holding him against the taunt body beneath him. He must have fallen asleep on Oikawa the night before.

Grimacing, he tried to wiggle out of the male’s hold. Oikawa only tightened his grip, his fingers burying themselves in Iwaizumi’s shirt. 

_This is definitely breaching the line of a platonic relationship._

Again trying to move away so as to avoid the awkward situation he knew would come when Oikawa woke, he was again, met with resistance. Sighing, he settled back into his original position. Body snuggly fitted between Oikawa’s legs, head resting on his chest, Oikawa’s arms holding him snuggly against his torso. His light breaths gently rocked Iwaizumi.

_God, please just let us stay like this._

‘This’, however, did not last. Oikawa woke like a dream; his eyes fluttered open and his parted mouth pulled up into a smile. 

“Good morning Iwa-chan.” His voice. _God. His voice._ It melted against Iwaizumi’s skin, caressing every part of him, molding to the rest. His sleep filled eyes practically glowed with…something…Iwazumi couldn’t quite pin whatever it was down.

“Morning…Oikawa.” 

“Hmmmm? What’s this? No insult?” Iwaizumi blushed.

“Shut it! I just…it didn’t feel right to call you an idiot after saving me yesterday. Even though you are a total idiot! He could have killed you! I could have managed on my own-”

“How, exactly, would you have managed Iwa-chan?” He interrupted him.

“I don’t know! Idiot! But I’d rather you…”

“Me, what? Exactly?” He sat up, suddenly wide awake, shifting Iwaizumi. Looking down in embarrassment he moved to get up, to forever leave this gift of a morning behind as they resumed arguing. A strong hold around his stomach anchored him, preventing him from leaving.

“Shitykawa, let me go.” Oikawa shook his head.

“Nope. You’re not going anywhere until you finish that sentence.” Iwaizumi blushed furiously, turning a violent shade of red as he sunk back down between the male’s legs in defeat.

“I just, you, I just didn’t…don’t…want you to get hurt. I’d rather take every horrific possibility on myself than let it happen to…someone else.” Oikawa’s features twisted; morphing between outrage, concern, embarrassment, and finally realization. A grin gradually pulled at the corners of his mouth.

“Iwa-chan, you want to protect me?” He didn’t respond. Taking the silence as an obvious yes, Oikawa brought him in to press against his chest again, chuckling softly. A light pressure on the top of Iwaizumi’s skull alerted him that Oikawa was doing that thing again. While he had liked it yesterday, he absolutely did not want it to continue if this, whatever this was, was not going to evolve into something more.

“Get off me Oikawa.” He pushed at him, trying to pull away before he ran out of strength to let the male go.

“Why Iwa-chan? You let me hold you all of yesterday!”

“Yeah well yesterday I was broken and upset.”

“And you expect me to believe that you’re fixed? Just from, what, not even twenty four hours of security? I don’t think so.”

“Oikawa, don’t be a little shit. Let me go.”

“No!”

“Oikawa!” His voice rose dangerously. Oikawa had buried his face in Iwaizumi’s shoulder, avoiding eye contact. Taking a deep breath, he let his pulse slow before continuing.

“Oikawa. Listen. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. And letting me crash with you until I find another place is awesome. But, I just can’t have this much physical contact with you. Especially in one day. It’s just too much.” He could feel the grimace forming on Oikawa’s face. “It’s not that I don’t want to be around you so don’t you even try to twist it that way. This is just-“ He was cut off by a sudden pressure on his chest; it was his hand. Resting firmly against lean muscles and a thrumming heart. The foreign heat drawing beads of sweat to the surface and the fear that he may find out, the fear of rejection, made his pulse race.

They sat like that for over a minute; an unbearable whole sixty seconds before Oikawa moved again. 

In the second it took for Oikawa to move, the curtains shifted in a light breeze from the AC, the sunlight flooding the room in a bath of orange. With Oikawa’s skin illuminated, his face tilted up towards Iwaizumi, he looked nearly angelic. This small, sometimes self centered and demanding and complete trash of a person, was practically glowing. The emotion Iwaizumi had not been able to identify in his eyes early that morning, finally revealed.

_Desire._

_Soft. It’s so soft. Softer than I could have ever imagined._  

Opening his eyes, he had closed them reflexively, that glowing skin was only centimeters away from him. Soft, deep brown eyelashes lay neatly against pale cheekbones, casting small shadows where Iwaizumi had never noticed before.

 _Ah, those are his lips_.

The realization washed over him rather softly. 

The word assigned to this particular action didn’t even begin to describe what it really felt like. It seemed almost taboo to label something so pure and delicate with such a simple word.

Oikawa retreated; eyes opening slowly.

“Four letters.”

“Hm?” He hummed back, confused.

“What that was…it’s label is only four letters.” Oikawa’s head titled in confusion.

“Iwa-chan you’re not making any sen-“ He cut the brunette off with another kiss. Their lips meeting in a perfect heart. They molded so perfectly together.

_Now, I’ll never be able to let him go._

Throwing arms around each other necks, fingers intertwining, bare skin brushing occasionally against bare skin, the time passed without notice.

_Finally. Finally I can have him._

When they finally drew apart for some much needed oxygen and to brush away the morning breath neither had failed to notice, Iwaizumi leaned forward. Words ghosting across Oikawa’s ear.

“There’s no way I’m letting you go now.”

Oikawa shivered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is trash  
> Just plain trash
> 
> I'm sorry, my patience with building the tension just plummeted
> 
> If anyone still follows this fic, thank you

**Author's Note:**

> Well there it is! This is the first work that I've posted on the internet...ever.   
> I know the chapter's short, but that's my style of writing. So I imagine that this will eventually accumulate a significant number of chapters...  
> Regardless! Here's the first glimpse into the world I've designed for the two lovebirds~
> 
> Please feel free to leave comments or suggestions for improvement! They're always appreciated! o((◕ฺ∀ ◕✿ฺ))o


End file.
